Eira Port is the only territory of the Kingdom of Jerusalem extending into the Red Sea.

On both sides of the coast, it's surrounded by the territories of Kasim the Piercer, Aqaba and Dahab.

Losa rode in on horseback, slowly stepping into this port city under the salute of more than ten members of the Varangian Guard guarding the city gate.

He carefully examined the terrain of the city and couldn't help but sigh, "This place is indeed easy to attack and hard to defend."

The same thing can be described in two opposing ways: one can say Eira Port is surrounded, or that it is like a sharp blade, piercing straight into the enemy's chest and abdomen.

It bisects the entire territory of the Ayyubid Kingdom from the south.

Losa and his men went straight to what used to be the residence of Zain Aladdin.

The situation in Eira Port was very tense.

But the resistance was not strong.

Hardly anyone missed the rule of Zain Aladdin; even the local Saracen chieftains, who were of the same ethnicity, were filled with loathing for this greedy figure who taxed them heavily.

Upon learning of Losa's arrival, they immediately chose to meet him.

"Lord Losa, it is an honor to be summoned by you!"

A local chieftain lamented to Losa in fluent Gaulish about the atrocities of Zain Aladdin—imposing heavy taxes and acting recklessly.

Somewhat comically, it mirrored the sentiment "the world has suffered under Zain for too long" and "today we rejoice in welcoming the king's forces."

The Kingdom of Jerusalem's rule over the region had never deeply penetrated, but it can't be said that there was no effect at all.

...

After meeting the local chieftains of Eira Port.

Losa stepped on the soft carpet, thinking silently that perhaps it wasn't necessary to deal with the local chieftains of Eira Port too hastily, or if they were smart enough, perhaps leaving them alive could be considered.

Firstly, their power was already very weakened.

Secondly, Losa had to consider whether dealing with these local chieftains would undermine his vision for Eira Port as a trade port that treated all equally, regardless of faith or ethnicity.

A beautiful maid with tanned skin, dressed lightly, timidly stepped forward, intending to help Losa take off his coat.

Losa smiled and politely declined in Kurdish.

Zain Aladdin's residence in Eira Port was no less than what Losa inherited from Reynard in Hebron.

The walls were covered with blue and white patterned wallpaper and tapestries, and the gilded large light fixtures were filled with white candles made of animal fat.

At the junction of the living room and the garden.

There were three pure white marble columns topped with a semicircular dome, also carved with various openwork patterns, resembling the window patterns of Eastern wooden windows.

Further ahead were the hanging bead curtains, which two quick-witted maids swiftly stepped forward to gently lift with blunt-headed metal rods.

Losa paused slightly: "If it were daytime, the lighting here would surely be ample."

Jeanne smiled and said, "Indeed, this place is more luxurious than your castle in Hebron, and only Eira Port can support Zain's extravagant indulgence."

Upon formally entering the residence.

All the floors of the rooms were of polished marble, and precious items like gold and silverware that were easy to carry were completely gone, all "plundered" by Zain Aladdin.

Although it originally belonged to him.

The carved wooden desk was filled with various books.

A velvet-covered round stool, quite uniquely designed, along with a large couch resembling a modern sofa covered with cushions, was placed around a small coffee table.

Losa sat on it and felt as if the whole of him was sinking into the soft cushions.

"Ah, comfortable."

Prajna sat opposite him, with one leg slightly crossed, picking up a book from the desk written in an unknown language, quietly reading.

Furinjer pranced around the residence eagerly, impatient to wash away the travel dust from herself here.

...

The sky gradually darkened.

On the vast sea surface.

Two rowing sailboats that had lowered their sails quietly waited, and upon the captain's command, slowly raised their sails.

The oars on both sides of the lower deck also began to swing rhythmically along with the rowers' motions.

The two ships, like ghosts, slowly sailed towards Eira Port, but they only seemed so, unbeknownst to them, real ghosts awaited them.

"Be wary of the reefs, everyone stay alert, this passage isn't easy."

The captain weaved through the sailors, reaching the helm, and while steering, shouted, "Listen up, for every person you kill, you'll be rewarded with a silver coin, and of the loot, this time I'll only take half, the rest is yours."

He paused slightly, yelling, "Thank your great captain for his generosity!"

"Long live the captain!"

The pirates cheered enthusiastically.

None of them noticed that on the sea surface, a massive shadow, like a whale from the deep sea, was slowly gliding alongside them, moving forward together with them.

"Has it gotten foggy?"

The captain suddenly furrowed his brows.

In the narrow strait, a thin mist had quietly spread, and although it could barely be considered mist, visibility extended only a few dozen meters, with anything further becoming a blur.

The next moment.

The pirates witnessed a sight they'd never forget for the rest of their lives.

Their companion ship beside them suddenly appeared to be ripped apart by a giant sea beast, the whole vessel violently trembled before being gutted from the center, shredded into countless splinters, all in an instant.

A grating loud noise, coupled with the sound of boards splintering, left every pirate's ear buzzing.

Debris from the ship was floating everywhere on the sea surface.

Originally beside them, the companion ship was now replaced by a galleyflaunting an eerie green light.

Black sails.

A decayed hull covered in barnacles and other parasitic shellfish.

And a giant skull flag fluttering atop the mast in the sea breeze.

Echoless, rampant laughter was heard from afar.

"Hahaha, Captain Hog welcomes you to Eira Port, you poor little things, from now on, it's Hell time here."

Standing with arms folded at the ship's wheel, Captain Hog tilted his captain's hat, as one by one the decayed zombie sailors carried massive arrows and loaded them into the ship's large crossbow cannon.

Captain Hog had been following these two ships for a long time.

The reason he only acted now.

Partly because, undertaking "security" work for the first time, he had to ensure the other party wasn't conducting legitimate business, thus still feeling somewhat unaccustomed.

On the other hand, Captain Hog didn't want other witnesses to see that a ghost ship was prowling the Red Sea—this would further damage Eira Port's already ailing commerce.

"Is...is it the Ghost Ship?"

The pirates' faces filled with an expression of utter terror, as sailors from all corners of the world couldn't avoid hearing the dreadful tales of ghost ships.

The pirate captain, at the first moment, turned the helm, intending to swing the bow with the wind to flee.

But the ghost ship opposite then advanced against the wind with an agility not at all matching its massive size, and in just a moment.

Boom.

From the bow of the ghost ship, a loud crash.

The giant crossbow cannon directly embedded into the belly of the pirate ship.

The crossbow arrow from the giant crossbow began retracting, drawing the two ships closer and closer.

Zombie sailors revealed ferocious smiles, hoisting shipboards and mariner's blades, standing by the sides.

The pirate captain showed a hint of hopelessness on his face: "Prepare to engage!"

"Be careful not to damage their ramming horn, that's a valuable treasure!"

Captain Hog advised.

He could tell at a glance that the pirate ship's ramming horn, seemingly surrounded by a fiercely toothed maw, was quite a prize.

With that, he took the lead, as if swept by the wind, swiftly leaping and gliding down to the opposite deck.

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